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264 THE SIEGE OF PORT ARTHUR
With their enemies firmly established on 203
Metre Hill, the Russians had to give up, without
further resistance, Akasaka-yama and a series of
advanced positions on the plateau in front of
Antzeshan and Itzeshan. They succeeded in
carrying with them all their guns, and withdrew to
the permanent forts, hard pressed by the Japanese,
who occupied the positions one after the other.
From the most advanced the besiegers opened up
saps against Itzeshan.
On the neck between 203 and Akasaka-yama
a battery of two 4’7-in. and three 12-pounder
naval guns was established, with the object of
taking the town and the harbour under direct fire.
The guns were in position and ready for work on
December 12th, and at ii a.m. the bombardment
commenced. Immediately a deluge of shells was
showered over the battery from the Russian posi-
tions, but the Japanese bluejackets stood manfully
to their guns, placed with their customary skill,
and the Russians failed to silence them. After
a while the scarcity of ammunition forced the
Russians to leave the battery in peace, although
it did serious damage to the buildings in the old
and the new town.
Southward, along the high land towards the
strong Taiyangkou forts, and down in the broad
valley which extends to the west of the plateau
from Louisa Bay to the inner part of the harbour,
the Japanese advance progressed, without haste
and with every precaution, but as surely and in-
exorably as fate itself. The advanced positions
on Gingasa-yama and Yangshifang were occupied
without much resistance. On the 17th a semi-
permanently fortified hill about 1,000 yards to the
west of Taiyangkou was captured after three hours’
fighting. On the 20th two small lunettes on the
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